Iceland Gull

Dungeness - 0900hrs - cool, cloudy, ne3 - The amazing recent run of rare birds at Dungeness continued this morning with a stunning adult Iceland Gull feeding at the Patch. It has of course been a record breaking winter for this Arctic gull with hundreds of displaced birds noted in northern Scotland, while this is the 4th for the year so far down here. Also a goodly number of Common Terns at the Patch, although there were many more earlier when a passing Roseate Tern was also seen (DW).
Elsewhere, 2 Black Redstarts along the perimeter wall, Stonechat and Wheatear by Lloyds, a singing Lesser Whitethroat in the Trapping Area, plus flyover Raven and Med Gull.

                                          Iceland Gull, The Patch

Lade - 1600hrs - Several sightings of Hobby and Sparrowhawk around the cottage this afternoon sent the local Herring Gulls into raptures. Very quiet over the pits with just a couple of courting Cuckoos of note.

Lade

Lade - warm, dry, sunny, n3 - Following bits of overnight rain a generally decent sort of a day, despite the brisk northerly. Spent far too long nattering to the guests over breakfast about past glories on Scilly; thanks for that Terry, brought back a lot of good memories.
The monthly WeBS count over the pits didn`t take long, on account of a lack of wildfowl.
As for the moth trap, had just 2 species, a Shuttle-shaped Dart and Brimstone Moth.
Hythe - Had a wander along the sea front this morning with PT taking in the RMCanal where plenty of warblers and resident wayside birds were enjoying the warm sunshine. I managed to somehow lose my camera on the beach and when we returned to look for it this afternoon it had been handed in at the fish restaurant at the bottom of Stade Street. My faith in human nature was fully restored, thanks to one honest punter out there.
ARC - 1500hrs - Nothing much here apart from 150 Swifts over the lake and a few Shovelers.
Other news today concerned a male Hen Harrier seen over the bird reserve (SM) and at New Romney, plus a Hoopoe reported to Bird Guides on Lydd Golf Course.

                                            Brimstone Moth, Plovers 

Bee-eater

Park Wood, Appledore - 1200hrs - warm, dry and sunny (at last) - On the way back from Ashford a walk in the woods at the `wrong` time of day still managed to deliver 9 singing Nightingales, 2 Garden Warblers, 10 Blackcaps, 5 Chiffchaffs, plus a host of resident woodland birds such as Nuthatches, Treecreepers, Greater and Green peckers, Mistle Thrush and Long-tailed Tits.

                                            Park Wood, Appledore

Dungeness  - 1430hrs - Another (or the same as earlier in the week?) Bee-eater found by ace rarity finder DB on overhead wires near his cottage. By the time I arrived on site it had moved down to Jarman`s, still on power lines, hawking insects. Not a great view, what with the heat haze (yeah, honest!) and all, but at least it showed. It wasn't here for long though and soon flew off high inland.
The only other piece of news was a Honey Buzzard over Littlestone this morning (OL).

Woodlark & Chicken Slurry

Dungeness - 1000hrs - warm sunny start, cooler, cloudy showery later - Started off at the Point for yet another fruitless scarcity search, this time a hen Serin, but at least they`re still coming. Two Black Redstarts singing from the power station, 3 Stonechats and a flyover LRP was about it, so joined the gathering throng of locals by the moat for a scan and a moan.
Walland Marsh - 1145hrs - seemed like a good idea when we set out in the dry, until a heavy shower gave us a thorough soaking. Anyhow, a few Marsh Harriers noted plus Buzzard, Kestrel and 7 very miserable, perched-on-posts Hobbies. Little `uns comprised several Yellow Wagtails, 2 Tree Sparrow colonies, 2 Corn Buntings, 2 Cuckoos, Reed and Sedge Warblers. Finished off in style with Barney giving chase to a Hare and running straight into a gloopy pool of mature chicken slurry. The smell of ammonia was horrendous, so back at the car I chucked him in a plastic sack (with his head sticking out, of course), raced back home with the windows open and hosed him down in the back garden, once I`d pinned him down in the privet (that dog does NOT like water), followed by a shampooing in the bath. He now looks like a ball of fluff and has got the right hump.
Long Pits  - 1400hrs - Reports of a singing Woodlark near the Long Pits found by OL was too good to pass up. Thanks to gen from MH & SB we nailed the little blighter as it ascended (FbyB) from a burnt patch of bashed scrub. In flight it sang for bit and then headed over towards the coastguard cottages before returning to the same patch of charcoal. A decent flight view of a tricky-to-see bird down here.
Boats - 1500hrs - Did an hour at the boats with MH & Terry and Lucy Palmer who`re B&Bing at Plovers. The highlight was 2 Arctic Skuas, 30 scoters, 30 Gannets, a trickle of Common and Sandwich Terns and 2 porpoises.
Another poor night in the moth trap with just a Setaceous Hebrew Character new for the season.

                              Barney, hiding in privet prior to a hosing down

                                Setaceous Hebrew Character, one of my favourite moth names

A Hat Trick... of Dips

Lade - 1000hrs - cool, cloudy, se2 - Slim pickings here with a few Swifts over south pit and a calling Cuckoo of note. Just as I was giving up a Greenshank flew over calling, took one look at the lack of edge habitat and pushed on northwards.
Dungeness - 1400hrs - Managed to successfully dip a Bee-eater that flew from ARC to the point and then disappeared somewhere over the Trapping Area. Despite a good scout around the flying paintbox could not be relocated. Scores of Swifts and House Martins over ARC and at least 2 Hobbies.
I wonder what southern overshoot will make an appearance tomorrow...
ps: Two Poms and an Arctic Skua were reported from the Point this morning.

Just Passing Through...

Dungeness - 0845hrs - cold, sunny, nw3 - A stroll down to the Patch revealed just a handful of Common Terns amongst the immature gulls. Two small parties of House Martins came in off the sea and a Blackcap was grounded along the power station wall. Wandered over to the Obs where the usual Black Redstarts, Wheatears and Stonechats noted.
ARC - 1430hrs - Three Hobbies hunting over the water along with 50 odd Swifts was about it. Along the access road another 2 Hobbies. Nothing of note on Burrowes.
ps: Another fly through Black Kite was seen this morning from Dengemarsh gully coming in off the sea (BP & MH) and went straight inland, while a Red-rumped Swallow passed over Hookers heading towards Burrowes never to be seen again (SB).
Moth activity continues to be poor to non-existent due to the cold temperatures.

Lade

Lade - 0900hrs - cold, showery, nw4 - A shocker of a morning with the temperature hovering around the 7C mark and a biting wind whipping across the shingle. Such were the conditions the breeding Whitethroats had taken to singing from within their respective patches of scrub. A couple of Yellow Wagtails flew over and a Cuckoo called from the willows while over south pit a mix of 50 odd Swifts and hirundines hawked what insects there were. The solar panel Herring Gulls continue to add to their comfy looking nest.

                                            Herring Gulls, Lade

ps: the only other local news concerned a flyover Black Kite at the bird reserve (PB et al).